£30m boost for all area's primary schools
FIRST class celebrations were being held across the area today as it is announced that seven local primary schools will be completely rebuilt and the rest refurbished thanks to £30-million Government cash.
North East Lincolnshire will receive the investment from the Department of Children, Schools and Families over 14 years.
-
New primary schools story - Celebrating the news of the new school building at Edward Heneage Primary School in Grimsby are headteacher Julie Platt with pupils from the after-school IT Club.
Edward Heneage Primary School and Woodlands Primary School buildings, both in Grimsby, will be the first to benefit – and will be demolished and rebuilt.
Education chiefs have yet to name five other primary schools which will also be rebuilt.
And, in an extra boost to local education, the Primary Capital Programme will also link in with senior school improvements – providing campuses covering 0 to 19 years on two sites.
Celebrating the news of the new school building at Edward Heneage Primary School are headteacher Julie Platt with pupils Ellis Brinklow (10) and Salema Khatun (10).
As reported, all secondary schools within North East Lincolnshire are being rebuilt or remodelled with a separate £100-million Government Building Schools For The Future grant.
The Telegraph can reveal today that education chiefs have earmarked Whitgift and Humberston Schools for 0 to 19 years campuses – using cash from both projects.
It will be an extra boost to post-16 education facilities in the Cleethorpes area – and further strengthens the role of Whitgift, which two years ago was threatened with closure amid the surplus places row.
Work on building new primary schools will start next year.
NELC head of capital and assets Wendy Fisher said: "It is an exciting time. We have already been holding design team meetings to discuss Edward Heneage and Woodlands' new schools and talked with governors.
"This means we can transform the education of pupils and provide an ideal situation for 21st Century learning. It supports our aims for the Every Child Matters strategy."
She added: "With the creation of the East and West Gateway For Learning we shall be planning 0-19 years campuses and under the plans for Building Schools For The Future we will be looking at Whitgift and Humberston schools to have primary schools."
The education chief said Information Technology facilities in all primary schools will be improved as part of the £30-million investment.
Edward Heneage headteacher Julie Platt said: "All the pupils are excited and the parents are delighted. It is an area of the town that does not normally come top, but this will make it a centre for the community."
And pupil Somir Uddin (eight) added : "This is a good school but I am looking forward to it getting a new building.
"It has been old and standing for a few years so it will be good.
"I'm excited that I will be part of one of the newest schools in Grimsby and can carry on enjoying maths!"
29 Comments
View all
by Jimbo, Grimsby
Friday, November 14 2008, 9:24PM
“GY Reader - the Woodlands school has had many thousands spent on it over the last 10 years. The place was virtually rebuilt so I doubt there are energy or repair issues that justify demolition. Other money was found for IT equipment. Nationally it has been found that buying in all this technology has little or no effect on standards. There are certainly other more deserving schools in NEL and it seems reasonable to ask why this one was chosen.”
by John, Grimsby UK
Friday, November 14 2008, 9:01AM
“More fog from Wendy Fisher !!
Take a look at Humberston and Whitgift sites and behind the cars and stunted shrubs what do we see ? Schools for small people - can they possibly be primary schools ?
Nice try Wendy, but some of us are not fools !!”
by Another Oldie, At home in the warm
Friday, November 14 2008, 8:55AM
“It is strange that many of the crumbling schools are relatively modern whilst the Victorian brick built structures have proved far more cost effective (even if less attractive).
As one who went through schools that were built in the 19th Century I believe that in the best schools the quality of teaching far outweighs the quality of the structure.”
by JO, Grimsby
Friday, November 14 2008, 6:53AM
“I think if I see even one more photo of groups of kids (or factory workers, teachers, young mums, shoppers, lobby groups, etc etc etc ad nauseum) punching the air in supposed joy and jubilation at yet another 'feel-good' Council/State initiative - i'm going to vomit!
Come on GT - these staged photo ops are beginning to pall a bit.”
by GY Reader, Grimsby, N.E.Lincs
Thursday, November 13 2008, 11:01PM
“This is excellent news for the children of North East Lincolnshire! Many people keep saying that money was ploughed into ICT in schools just a few years ago but we all know how quickly Technology moves on - what is up to date today is out of date tomorrow, remember that not all children have access to computers and internet when they get home. The old buildings are probably not energy efficient so year on year savings of money which would normally go into energy costs can be diverted elsewhere - more teachers and additional learning resources perhaps! Not to mention that they look rundown with rotting window frames etc.”